Tipping on CCL?

[disneygal65]

wow- such a huge response soo quickly. I really don't think it's appropriate for calling people 'cheap' or 'tightwads' or whatever. You don't know them, you don't know their belief systems, and who are you to judge/criticize someone that you've never met? Relax, I'm just asking simple questions on behalf of others. I've already stated that I am a standard 20% tipper, and have NO intentions of removing my tips. In fact, we're budgeting for ADDITIONAL tips- even tho we're on a budget. So let's be mature, and have a civillized conversation please. I'm not insulting or attacking anyone here- no reason to get fiesty ;) BTW- how many of you, especially the ones getting soo defensive, tip your HOTEL MAIDS when you check out of a hotel? Or when you leave the room for the day? 95% of people don't tip them ANYTHING. How many of you tip your HOSTESS at Applebee's? I'd say 99% of you don't. Or the Applebee's Manager? You ever tip them? Don't they perform the same tasks as the Maitre'd? Just curious...

 

Now- back on topic. If someone complains, or removes a tip early in the cruise- does that server get notified? Will it be held against the passenger for the remainder of the week?

 

Is the concensus that tipping the room steward EARLY considered an insult? Personally, I would love if someone tipped me early. That would be a compliment, don't you think?

 

I totally agree. Everyone has different ways of getting to the same ends. We personally have done it both ways. The first cruise we did the auto tip, but after having conversations with our room steward, who was great by the way, he said they prefer to receive cash. It is worth more to them than if it goes through the cruise line. So since then, we have elected to do cash only tips. They deliver the tip envelopes to your room the last day of the cruise so that you can give your tips out that evening. We always tip more than the recommended amount for great service. We have never had poor service on a cruise. I know some posters that have said they have but we haven't experienced it. We had just as superb service with cash tips as with auto tips. To the poster who said it was a power trip or made us feel big, thats simply not true. Does it make us feel good to reward the service, sure, but we dont do it for that reason. We do cash because in our experience that is what they prefer. To each his own. I think anyway you tip is fine as long as you tip and reward the staff for their hard work, which they do a lot of.

[NCTribeFan]

OP, even a not-very-in-depth search would have shown you that this subject comes up regularly. And that people are highly opinionated about the auto-tips.

 

See the "Search" button up on the menu bar? Click that, select "advanced search" and put TIPS in the keyword box, select "search titles only" and then go over and select "Carnival" only to search just this forum.

 

250 (max) hits in 0.18 seconds.

 

Or perhaps you just were bored and wanted to get folks all riled up - again - about tipping, removing/adjusting/whatever.

[Specter]

No, actually, I wasn't. But thanks for the vote of confidence ;) I DID search this topic after I posted- read a TON of threads on it. That's why I'm not really pushing it anymore. No matter what, people are going to get riled up. No matter what, people are going to have their opinion. No matter what, people are going to insult each other because they can hide behind a browser. In the end, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. All that matters is what my decision is for me... I'd be very happy if this thread just died- but somehow, I don't think it's going anywhere soon...

[joge107]

People that remove tips usually don't tip at all. I know this sounds all knowing, but, let's face it; cruiselines instituted this policy because a sufficient % of guests were "stiffs". In all my time cruising on any ship of any line, the service was never bad enough to merit no tipping at all!

[Littlegoo75]

I don't tip extra because I feel sorry for someone. I tip extra because I appreicate the service that I was given, and I appreciate that these crew members are working their tails off and making sacrifices so they can make decent money to support their families that back home.

I think it's a slap in the face to the hardworking crew members to see some people waste money to get sloppy drunk and buy a bunch of crap in port, yet not reward them by tipping them what they deserve so they can send the money home so their families will have food on the table. If somebody can "afford" to spend enough money to get wasted, I think they can spare a few extra bucks to the people behind the scenes that helped them enjoy their cruise. Sure, tips shouldn't be expected "just because", but if the crew has done a good job, they should definitely be rewarded.

Thank goodness there are some generous people out there, because some of us have to make up for those that aren't.

If you think that's silly or dumb, so be it.

[Littlegoo75]

People that remove tips usually don't tip at all. I know this sounds all knowing, but, let's face it; cruiselines instituted this policy because a sufficient % of guests were "stiffs". In all my time cruising on any ship of any line, the service was never bad enough to merit no tipping at all!

 

Well said. Personally, I would be embarassed to go to the Guest Relations desk and demand that the auto tips be removed....but that's just me. I am sure that some people may have a good reason to request that the tips be lowered if they had something truley horrible happen to them, but those instances have got to be few and far between.

 

The bar staff have it made, as their gratuity is included, otherwise, I am sure they would get stiffed more often than not.

 

I think maybe some people just don't realize how little money the crew makes if you take away the tips. This is one of the reasons it is so cheap to cruise.

[Littlegoo75]

Yes it is in England but not expected, the staff get paid a reasonable wage, so tips are just a bonus. In restaurants most people tip if the service and food is very good, but if you dont then its not a problem, no-one chases you down the street like they did to us in the US once.

 

Ouch, sorry somebody chased you down the street...that was pretty rude of them.

 

I think it's a good idea for people to do their research before traveling to other countries so that they understand the customs.

 

I knew before going to Europe that the gratuity was already included in the menu price, and I also read that in some countries, it's insulting to leave a tip.

 

I used to work in a restaurant while in college, and it's frustrating when people from other countries didn't do their research and understand that the gratuity is NOT included in the menu price and that a tip is expected for good service. I was not rude enough to chase after people if they didn't leave a tip, but it was insulting. I just figured that they just didn't know any better and went on. Other servers would go after people, which I think is bad taste, but with all of the resources of information that are available these days, there is no excuse to not do research before traveling.

[Cruise, J.D.]

Our Staff is totally committed to exceed your expectations in every way possible. If you are not satisfied with the service you receive, we encourage you to contact the Purser’s Information desk while onboard. This will allow us to address your concerns in a timely and appropriate fashion. At your discretion, you may adjust the gratuities at any time.

 

http://www.carnival.com/CMS/FAQs/Gratuities_Tips.aspx

 

Until this changes, it is a gratuity, not a service charge. You have the option to leave nothing, leave less, or leave more. This is no different than any other tipping situation - it is up to you.

 

For what it's worth, simply leaving the auto-tips in place is nothing to feel smug about - for example, with the dining, it is probably less than a 15% tip compared to similar land-based restaurants. For some of you multiple appetizer, entree, and dessert eaters, you are probably tipping less than 10%.

[anjeleyes1]

I love eating out and being served, I have breakfast in the dining room on the cruise and dinner. I tip extra for a job well done the tip that you leave on auto is for everyone. My husband eats breakfast with me in dinning room and goes up on the Lido deck and eats again, all those people deserve a tip. I have never meet a Maitre de so I don't give extra. My room stewards have been very nice and I give them extra. The auto is a good start in case you miss someone, but on the two cruises I have been on I have never come across at staff member that was not nice or helpful. but I guess you get back the attitude you put forth and I am grateful and they are gracious.

[MrPete]

Yes it is in England but not expected, the staff get paid a reasonable wage, so tips are just a bonus. In restaurants most people tip if the service and food is very good, but if you dont then its not a problem, no-one chases you down the street like they did to us in the US once.

 

Picture it:

 

Stirling, Scotland, 1983, a 25 year old kid and his girlfriend have lunch in a cafe like place in the center of town.

 

Kid pays bill, leaves about a pound on the table, walks out.

 

Waitress comes running after me shortly after, informing me I forgot some money on the table. :eek:

 

VAT? What's that? :) "Keep in hun"

 

(This story pales to when I went to a Wimpy's, and ordered a cheeseburger. I got melted cheese on a bun. Took me a while to get the hang of eating over there)

[MAZANDSTEVE]

Picture it:

 

Stirling, Scotland, 1983, a 25 year old kid and his girlfriend have lunch in a cafe like place in the center of town.

 

Kid pays bill, leaves about a pound on the table, walks out.

 

Waitress comes running after me shortly after, informing me I forgot some money on the table. :eek:

 

VAT? What's that? :) "Keep in hun"

 

(This story pales to when I went to a Wimpy's, and ordered a cheeseburger. I got melted cheese on a bun. Took me a while to get the hang of eating over there)

 

 

 

LOL, Great story.

We got chased because we didnt leave a tip, the menu said gratuity added to your bill, and it was,we assumed this was her tip, she said it wasnt.:confused:

[Kurbanfan]

LOL, Great story.

We got chased because we didnt leave a tip, the menu said gratuity added to your bill, and it was,we assumed this was her tip, she said it wasnt.:confused:

 

You assumed correctly! She was wrong......

[MAZANDSTEVE]

You assumed correctly! She was wrong......

 

 

I thought so, cheeky she gave chase then, LOL,

It was a little embarrassing.:)

[matt314hew]

I would just tell them tips are part of the expense of cruising. Your FIL can buy some stock in Carnival and cover most of the cost of the tips, or buy a next cruise certificate and it might hurt less.

 

That gives me a good idea. buy a few shares of stock in them and see what it does.

[KULPN]

let me just start out by saying i havent gone on my cruise yet so i am reading all the information i possibly can. in addition to that, i will not remove the auto tip and will tip extra for good service. but i do agree with becky above. we dont tip a waiter before we get our meal. as a first time cruiser it is just confusing to me why we would tip in advance (which is what auto tip does). especially since someone said that tipping in advance is offensive.

 

perhaps i should tip a bit extra to the cabin steward in the middle of the cruise not the first day?

I tend to tip the cabin steward extra in cash on day 3 & 5. It has always worked for us in getting superior service.

[KULPN]

I find that one a little hard to believe. I do it all the time and yes I am buying better service and from what I've seen it always works.

they certainly don't seem insulted when we tip them in cash during the cruise. They seem pleased. We leave the auto tips as considered part of the price of cruising.

[rhorhorho]

We have friends (a couple) that seem like they are much like the OPs BIL/SIL. We went with them on one cruise and they removed the auto-tips and then "lost" the money in the casino. When we found out where the money ame from we went and put money back on their account w/ the understanding (with the purser) that it would not be allowed to be removed.

 

Same couple ran "short" on an excursion we took with them. They went somewhere after we left and when they got back tried to stiff the guide like $30 each. He made one stay with him while the other went to get money. (Good for him). We found out when she was bi#(!ing on board about him holding her hostage...PLEASE:rolleyes:.

 

We refuse to cruise with them ever again. But we have instituted a policy of our own. When we plan a cruise and others join us - linked reservations - we give them the price of the cruise including prepaid gratuities, we don't tell anyone they can be adjusted - though we would if our friends asked or received really bad service - and go with that.

 

OP that might be an option. If you haven't booked yet just sign them up for prepaid gratuities, if you have I don't know. I would probably prepay them myself for them and let it go, I wouldn't want to be affiliated with stiffers.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I see your point on that as well. I think it was our 1st cruise didn't have auto tip- and seemed like the workers were better. They remembered your name, where you're from, were more friendly and went more out of thier way than they do more recently, since the auto tip was brought in. Maybe it's just me, or maybe you're right- the auto tip has made some workers a little more 'relaxed' than they used to be? I remember my parents really loved ONE specific worker- while the other one was not very good. They made it a point to hand the envelope to that specific worker, and thank him & his boss for doing such a great job.

 

back when you sailed Carnival in 1996 and even in 2001 there were a lot less cruise ships sailing. With a lot less cruise ships sailing they could weed out the bad workers and only have the cream of the crop.

 

Nowadays there are more ships that are much bigger that require much more workers so you may wind up with some workers that aren't up to par.

 

The staff is stetched way too thin these days with so many tables to take care of or cabins to make up they don't have time to chit chat like in the old days.

 

While it's a nice touch it doesn't ruin my cruise if someone doesn't remember my name.

 

Bill